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PHOTOS: Nature reclaims abandoned Disney park

Posted: 3:26 PM, Mar 21, 2016

Updated:2016-03-21 19:26:25Z

By:
Scripps National News

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<p>Seph Lawless, Instagram</p>

What happens when a water park built on top of a swamp goes untouched by human hands for more than 15 years? That’s what photojournalist Seph Lawless wanted to find out when he traveled to what used to be Disney’s River Country last week.

River Country originally opened in 1976, one of the first modern water parks in the country. But as Disney World continued to grow, River Country quickly became dated — namely because of its unheated water and low prices that quickly became unviable.

Since then, surrounding swampland has slowly but surely reclaimed the water park. Thick layers of algae cover once clear swimming pools, branches droop low into walkways and tree roots and vines clog the twisting water slides.